Stepping Stones DS

📢 Stepping Stones DS is delighted to introduce our new CEO, Kirsten Williams.

Many of you will meet her over the coming days and weeks, but for now – here’s an introduction from Kirsten:

I am honoured to step into the role of CEO at Stepping Stones DS. Having served as a trustee with the charity for nearly a year, and with a background as a solicitor specialising in both commercial and charity law for the past 15 years, I am thrilled to take on this role.

During my time as a trustee at Stepping Stones DS, I have enjoyed learning about the charity, the range of services we offer to our families, and the incredible impact we make in the community.

I am also neurodiverse and deliver training about neurodiversity and how to support neurodiverse individuals in schools, charities, and corporates. I am particularly passionate about using my lived experience to improve outcomes and employability for neurodiverse people, and I hope this passion and enthusiasm will serve me well as I step into the role of CEO.

Alex, Michelle, and the team have done a fantastic job of making Stepping Stones DS one of the leading Down Syndrome charities in the South of England. Building on this, I hope to help the charity grow and develop in a sustainable way, ensuring consistent and long-term support for our families.

Following the very sad loss of our Chair, Irene, last month, I want to assure you that we remain dedicated to ensuring continuity within our leadership. I am pleased to announce that our former Chair, Josh McCormack, has kindly agreed to Co-Chair alongside Diane Walters.

Josh has been a valued member of the board for many years, serving as Chair from January 2020 until December 2023. Diane, who joined the board as a trustee in early 2023, brings a wealth of experience and a personal connection to the charity as Nanna to Arabella (DS), who turns 3 today.

Alongside Diane and Josh are Rebecca Hitch (Treasurer), Liz Phillipou (Secretary), Rob Barton, Jacky MacKenzie, and Despina Papadimitriou. Our board are a mix of Stepping Stones DS family members and local community members with a range of professional experience.

Together, our board will continue to ensure that our families remain at the heart of everything we do.”

I’m sure everyone will join us in welcoming Kirsten to her new role.

🏃🏻‍♂️Lloyd’s Marathon Journey Continues with the Great North Run, the Cardiff Half Marathon & the TCS New York City Marathon! 🥇

We are thrilled to share some incredible achievements from one of our fundraisers who has been breaking records and pushing boundaries.

At just 19 years old, Lloyd entered the Guinness World Records becoming the youngest person with Down syndrome to complete the TCS London Marathon, Not only that, but through his efforts, he has raised over £18,400 for Stepping Stones DS and Special Olympics Great Britain!

Since that day, life has been a whirlwind – TV appearances, billboards across London, and even being shortlisted as a finalist in the 2024 GoCardless JustGiving Awards which take place this month.

But that’s not where the story ends…

In a bid to raise even more funds for his chosen charities, Lloyd has raised his target to £30,000! Here are Lloyd’s challenges:

🏃🏻‍♂️London Marathon - Completed) 🏅✅
🪂 Charity Skydive – 20th August 2024 ✅
🏃🏻‍♂️Great North Run – 8th September 2024 (Going for another Guinness World Record!)
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Cardiff Half Marathon – 6th October 2024
🗽 New York City Marathon – 3rd November 2024

Through determination, passion, and a love of sport, Lloyd is proving that nothing is impossible! His dedication is inspiring, and we are so proud of his achievements.

If you'd like to follow Lloyd’s journey and support him in reaching his new goal, please visit his JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/team/lloydmartin

Thank you to everyone for your continued support!

You might remember Lloyd...

At just 19-years-old, he broke a world record as the youngest person with Down Syndrome to complete the TCS London Marathon 💪

But he's not stopping there!

He's taking on the Great North Run this weekend for Special Olympics Great Britain and Stepping Stones DS.

Show him some support 👇
https://just.ly/4dOrvpX

We hope everyone had a wonderful summer. Now it's back to school time! 🏫👧👦

👍 🧠 GOOD LUCK to everyone heading back to school & college. We would especially like to wish all of our school starters and those transitioning to a new school lots of happiness in their new adventure!

We wish you an incredible school year and are so proud of each and every one of you. We can't wait to hear all about your adventures.

Here are happy, smiley faces of some of our young people who have headed back to school this week 📸

We are a charity partner at this months Twilight Runway Challenge and are looking for families, friends and colleagues who enjoy a challenge, unique experiences and fun, to sign up and complete the challenge in support of Stepping Stones DS.

At this family fun event you can run, walk, cycle, scoot or skateboard your way round the 3km, 5km or 10km route.

Simply choose Stepping Stones DS when you sign up, email [email protected] to let us know you have entered and we will send you a link to our Runway Challenge JustGiving fundraiser page which you can share with friends/family/colleagues.

The event is just weeks away and we hope that many of you are keen to get involved.

Here are all the details you need for the evening and where to book:

🗓 Saturday 21st September
⏰ Event starts 5.15pm (Gates open 4pm)
📍 Blackbushe Airport, Camberley, GU17 9LQ
➡️ Enter now: https://www.twilightchallenge.co.uk/event-details

Thank you to those who have entered and for your amazing support🥰

18 days to go until the big day! We want to say a big shout out to these charity partners of our 14th annual Twilight Runway Challenge. , and To find out more these charities and to sign up visit our website www.twilightchallenge.co.uk

🌞🎉 Another Fun Summer Event at Camp Mohawk! 🎉🌞

Last week, we hosted a brand new summer event for our 11-24 year olds and their siblings at Camp Mohawk, and what a fantastic day it was! Even though the weather was unkind to us once again with some rain, it didn't dampen our spirits! Our teens, young people, and their parents had an absolute blast, especially during the laser tag sessions in the woods! 🌳🔫

We had a full day of exciting activities, including swimming, archery, laser tag, and use of all other other fantastic facilities Camp Mohawk has to offer. It was wonderful to see everyone enjoying themselves, catching up with old friends, and making new friends. The day ended with a campfire and delicious food thanks to Chilli Express.

A massive thank you to the incredible staff at Camp Mohawk, Kate, Matt, Alan, and the entire team, for making the day so memorable. And a special shoutout to parent volunteer Alan for his help with the archery sessions! 🙌 And as always, to SSDS Trustee Rob Barton for helping to organise the event.

We are incredibly grateful to Hampshire County Council, particularly Cllr.KimTaylor and Councillor Elaine Still, for their generous funding support, which made this year's summer events possible. Days like these provide a safe and inclusive space for our young people with Down syndrome to get together, have fun, and foster a sense of belonging and community. They also offer our young people opportunities for independence while allowing parents and carers to connect and share experiences with other families. 💙

Thank you to everyone who joined us and made it such a memorable day.

Whilst we grieve the deeply sad loss of our Chair of Trustees, we must honour her legacy and continue to raise awareness, and support and advocate for children and young people with Down Syndrome to fulfil their potential.

⏰Midday on Friday 16th August is the closing date for the JustGiving Go Cardless awards, if you haven't yet voted for Lloyd Martin, you have just hours to vote for him as one of 3 finalists in the Teen Fundraiser category for the 2024 GoCardless JustGiving Awards.

A reminder that Lloyd was nominated for this award after completing this years TCS London Marathon and has been recognised by JustGiving, who told us "Lloyd's fundraising for Special Olympics Great Britain and Stepping Stones DS has been nothing short of spectacular, which is why he made the 𝗧𝗢𝗣 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗘!!"

Let's try to get Lloyd this well deserved award and celebrate all that a child or young person can achieve with the right determination and support.

🚨 REMINDER 🚨

You only have until Friday 16th August to have YOUR say in the GoCardless JustGiving Awards.

Our finalists have gone above and beyond for the causes they love.

Vote for your favourite fundraisers now ➡️ Just.ly/Vote 🏆

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It is with great sadness that we share the heartbreaking news of the passing of our Chair of Trustees, Dzifa (Irene) Arthur. Irene was not only a devoted mum to Cerys and Cruz, a loving wife to Dominic, but also a cherished member of our Stepping Stones DS family. Her sudden and unexpected passing has left a void that will be deeply felt by all who knew her.

Irene was a remarkable woman; intelligent, professional, and compassionate. Despite her already full schedule, she gave generously of her time and energy to lead our board. As Irene once said, "I lead the Board to ensure that decisions made are in the best interests of Stepping Stones DS and that they promote good governance." Her commitment to our community was rooted in her lived experience as a mum to Cruz, who is 7 and has Down Syndrome. Irene found it deeply rewarding "to serve, offer my member perspective, and lead the Board of Trustees towards a growth-oriented future that maintains the interests of our children and young people."

We will share more information about the funeral arrangements in due course. In the meantime, Dominic has asked for those who pray to please offer their prayers to the family during this incredibly difficult time. Our thoughts and hearts are with them all.

Rest in peace, Irene. Your legacy of kindness, leadership, and love will live on in the Stepping Stones DS family.

With all the excitement of the 2024 Olympics happening in Paris, are you and your loved ones inspired to take on your own sporting challenge? You could take home your own medal this September at this year's Twilight Runway Challenge on Sat 21st.

🤸🏃👩‍🦽🚴Rally your friends, family or colleagues and walk, run, cycle, hop, skip along the Blackbushe Airport runway. You can choose the 3k, 5k or 10k track as part of the fun family evening event. To take part sign up here: https://www.twilightchallenge.co.uk/event-details

Along with all the fun in taking part in the challenge, you could raise vital funds for children and young people with Down Syndrome. If you would like to help the families that we support; please contact us to let us know you have signed up to the Twilight Runway Challenge by commenting below or emailing us at: [email protected] and we can set you up.

Please share this post with your friends and family who would also like to get involved.

🌟 EDITED 🌟 1x 6’9 left - £50 collected or £60 posted.

To raise our last few pounds for Stepping Stones DS we have a few championship fleece rugs left over from the Russell Pearson Memorial Show 2024 that are now available to purchase‼️

RRP £69.95…. No sensible offer refused❗️

Sizes left;
1x 6’0 - SOLD
1x 6’3 - SOLD
1x 6’9 - SOLD

1x 6’9

Message us or call Tony on 07824387406

🌟 Day 2 of the Russell Pearson Memorial Show 2024 takes place tomorrow.🌟

Stepping Stones DS are beyond thrilled to be part of such an amazing event organised by T & P Equestrian

Joanna Elkes, one of our Stepping Stones DS parents, shared: "Sunday 21st July is the main working day of the T&P Equestrian event with some lovely show jumping and a great raffle. We will be there Sunday from 10am, so if any Stepping Stones DS families or supporters would like to pop along and meet Tony and Patrick and some ponies, we would love to see them."

Don’t forget, the raffle supporting Stepping Stones DS will be drawn around 4pm tomorrow. If you don’t have your tickets yet, there’s still time to grab them for a chance to win fantastic prizes!

Pop along to Gleniffer Stables, Drift Road, Hawthorn Hill, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 3ST. Whether you’re competing, supporting, or just enjoying the atmosphere, your presence will make a difference.

A huge thanks to T&P Equestrian for choosing Stepping Stones DS as their charity beneficiary..

📷 Thanks to Jo for her photo of daughter Grace on her pony.

🌟𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘀𝘆𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀🌟

⏰ 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟬𝟵:𝟯𝟬-𝟭𝟱:𝟯𝟬 ⏰
📌 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝟱 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗹𝗲𝗲𝘁, 𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗧𝗕𝗖 📌

This course, delivered by Sarah Holton of LETS Go UK, is designed for primary school staff. The session will be a chance for staff who are new to working with a child with Down syndrome to think about how the team around the child can all work together.
It is also a great refresher for those already supporting pupils with Down syndrome.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿:

• 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘀𝘆𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗲
• 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀
• 𝗨𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆
• 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀
• 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 & 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿

Training is designed for school staff but is also beneficial for parents. The session can provide a great opportunity for schools to work in partnership with parents, helping them consider the most effective techniques to support our children.

To secure a place please use our online booking system by clicking here: https://tinyurl.com/PrimaryDS-SSDS

The costs per person are as follows:
•£20 for SSDS member families
•£40 for school staff supporting SSDS members
•£50 for non-members

Training is open to everyone, not just SSDS families/schools, so please feel free to 𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘 with anyone who may be interested in coming along.

Entries still available for the T & P Equestrian show. See details below!!!

Thank you for the support us, it makes a real difference to the children and young people with Down syndrome, along with their families. 🥰

Our shout out goes to 😊

Stepping Stones DS was nominated to receive 100 free entries to visit 360 Play Farnborough on Sunday 23rd June! This was enjoyed by lots of our preschool and primary aged children, along with their families:

💙 “Our daughter explored all through the soft play, played in the little world and finished with the bumpers! The staff at 360 were also great; they were lovely as we arrived and didn’t rush us to leave at the end.” - SSDS Parent

💚 “Thank you for organising Farnborough 360 we had a lovely time there, the facilities and staff fantastic and lots to do for our kids. We are very grateful!” – SSDS Parent

Charlotte at 360 told us “Being a family business, 360 is proud to support the communities its centres serve. From founding the company through to our day-to-day activities 360 strives to take a role in local communities around us. We believe strongly in our activities being engaged and adopted by local people and our centres seen as part of family life. 360 Play is giving £70,000 back into our local community by offering free entry to various charities and the families in which they support, and you were selected. 360 Play offers extensive ranges of play from Physical play to Role Play, and even Messy Play. We have various role play shops to get the imaginations running wild, unlimited ride attractions of our Carousel and Dodgems and a LARGE 3 story playframe.” 👏

Thank you so much for your generosity and for supporting Down syndrome families in the local community, it’s a true example of inclusivity and makes us very happy!

This opportunity to play not only helps improve the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of our children, but also provides our families with a chance to get together, support each other, and nurture life-long friendships. 🏃‍♀️🤸‍♀️

🌧️✨ Summer Picnic Magic at Camp Mohawk 🌟🌿

Thank you to everyone who joined us last Sunday at our Stepping Stones DS Summer Picnic! Despite the classic British summertime weather, it was a really special day. Over all the years we've been running this event, this was the first time we faced a lot of rain, yet it was great to see so many of you come out and have a fantastic time.

From the steam rising off the warm pool as rain fell on our swimmers, to families finding shelter indoors and out for their picnics, the spirit of togetherness was unmistakable. And yes, the sun did make a brief appearance between showers, allowing us to enjoy some ice creams in the fresh air.

💬 Here are some of the lovely comments from our families:

💙"A huge thank you for organising the Stepping Stones DS Summer Picnic today. Despite the weather, the kids had a lovely time (their favourite part was meeting the animals and they went to see them twice, Logan had a favourite chicken that he wanted to stroke again). There really was plenty to do all day and we stayed right until the end."

💚"The 4 of us had a great day despite the rain and it was lovely to chat to other families! Thank you, Rob, for your efforts in organising it and huge thanks to Stepping Stones!"

💛"We all had a fantastic time, in the rain and the sunshine! Theo loved feeding the sheep and walking through the woods with his ice-cream. And the swimming is always a highlight in that lovely warm pool. Thank you for all the effort, Rob, to create another memorable summer party. We were there for 6 hours and filled every second # # #"

❤️"Another fantastic Stepping Stones DS Summer Picnic today. For once, the weather was not on our side (every year so far it’s been glorious, except today) but we made the most of it. And who cares if it buckets down when you’re in the pool…you’re already wet (easy for me to say as I was NOT in the pool!). Thanks so much to Rob for organising, and to SSDS for funding the brilliant social opportunity for us all. Lovely to see so many families 🥰"

We are now looking forward to our summer event for our teens and young adults next month, and we can't wait to return to Camp Mohawk for our annual picnic again in 2025. Thank you so much to Camp Mohawk for looking after us so well.

See you all soon! 🌞🎉

Please vote for Lloyd Martin in the Teen Fundraiser category!!! 🙂

Also, head to Instagram and cast your vote on the post too. https://www.instagram.com/p/C9PIKq-NdgN/?igsh=azhqcHMyeWZ4b2Vy

Please also share the Instagram post to your Insta stories - let’s fill the comments with ‘Vote Lloyd’!

Thank you!

Meet our 2024 Teen Fundraiser of the Year finalists!

👬 Hughie & Freddie for Manchester Foundation Trust Charity
🏃 Lloyd Martin for Special Olympics Great Britain & Stepping Stones DS
❤️ Maya Tohid for Young Lives vs Cancer

Have your say in the 2024 GoCardless JustGiving Awards and vote now ➡️ Just.ly/Vote

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Stepping Stones DS Charity Quiz Night 🧠

Following the success and lots of laughs at our last charity quiz night, we are thrilled to be doing another again this Autumn. Last year's quiz raised over £600 for SSDS which makes a huge difference to the families we support. Our autumn quiz takes place on 6th September at , part of Blackwater Valley Golf Centre and is likely to sell out very quickly! 🥳

The fun general knowledge quiz will be 6 rounds played in teams of up to 8 players. You can book as a full team, or if you want to come along as a couple or individual, then please book on and we will put you with others to make up a larger team. £5 donation per player to take part.

During the evening, we will be selling raffle tickets at £1 each or £5 a strip with a chance to win amazing prizes on the night (Prizes TBC). We will play a fun round of heads and tails at some point during the quiz and at the end we will have one round of Karaoke Bingo for added fun.

The doors open at 6.30pm and basket meals are being offered at £10 each pre-order only. The meals available are scampi and chips, sausage and chips, burger and chips, chicken goujons and chips (These options inc vegetarian, vegan and GF options). To pre-order your food please call Bistro19 and place your order directly with Marinda on 01252 879224. Due to limited kitchen staff no new food orders can be made on the night. There is a bar onsite where beverages can be purchased with card or cash payment.

Here are all the details you need for the evening and where to book:

🗓 Friday 6th September
⏰ 6.30pm - 10pm (Quiz starts 8pm)
📍 Bistro19, Blackwater Valley Golf Centre, Chandlers Lane, Yateley, GU46 7SZ
💷£5 per player (plus small Eventbrite booking fee), teams of 8 max
➡️ Book your tickets on Eventbrite here: https://tinyurl.com/SSDSQuiznight

Can't make the date? or Hate quizzes and would rather pay not to attend? 😋 You can still support our children and young people with Down syndrome to fulfil their potential by donating here: https://www.justgiving.com/steppingstonesds

Thank you and look forward to seeing you at the Quiz night!

Thank you T & P Equestrian for your continued amazing support! We are very grateful ☺️

Livery and Competitions | T&P Equestrian | Maidenhead T&P Equestrian, based in Fifield, Maidenhead, is easily accessible from both the M4 and M3 Motorways and a short trip to Windsor Great Park.​ Offering livery service, competitions for all levels and training on a regular basis.

🤩Today we share some very exciting news…

Our TCS London Marathon running, Guinness World Records breaker, Lloyd Martin has been shortlisted as one of 3 finalists in the Teen Fundraiser category for the 2024 GoCardless JustGiving Awards. 🌟👏

𝐕𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧. 𝐓𝐨 𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐲, 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: https://page.justgiving.com/justgiving-awards-vote?utm_source=awards_hub&utm_medium=homeheader&utm_campaign=JustGivingAwards2024

Earlier this year, nominations were opened for the 2024 GoCardless JustGiving Awards. JustGiving received over 18,000 nominations, and after an extensive shortlisting process, we found out that 𝗟𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗲𝗻! 😃

Lloyd was nominated for this award and has been recognised by JustGiving who told us "Lloyd's fundraising for Special Olympics Great Britain and Stepping Stones DS has been nothing short of spectacular, which is why he made the 𝗧𝗢𝗣 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗘!!"

Lloyd continues to show that with the right support and determination anything is possible. Lloyd set himself a personal challenge to complete the London marathon in April this year and in doing so he has also raised an incredible amount of awareness for young adults with Down syndrome and shattered stereotypes with his unwavering determination and groundbreaking achievement.

We couldn't be prouder of Lloyd and all the success he has achieved following his run and he truly deserves this recognition for his fundraising efforts. 𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝘆! ✅

Every year, the JustGiving Awards celebrate our fantastic community of fundraising heroes – the people and charities doing amazing things and making the world a better place – at a magical Awards ceremony in London. This years‘ ceremony will be held at the Roundhouse on Wednesday 18th September.

Lloyd, you continue to amaze us and we are thrilled for you to have been shortlisted!! We'd also like to thank everyone who has supported Lloyd's journey and ask you to support again with a vote for Lloyd to win. 🙏💙

You will have the opportunity to make one vote in each category. Voting closes at midnight on 16th August 2024. Please vote and share for family and friends to vote too! 😀

Thank you so much for your support Berkshire Community Foundation.

At BCF we are proud to support many making a difference across Berkshire.

We awarded funding to for their Bracknell Forest Education Outreach.

Stepping Stones DS is a charity dedicated to supporting children and young people with Down Syndrome in Berkshire, Hampshire, and Surrey. Their mission is to help these individuals thrive and transition into successful, fulfilling, and productive adulthoods.

The Bracknell Forest Education Outreach Program focused on outreach to mainstream and special needs schools, both primary and secondary, to elevate educational assistance for children and young people with Down Syndrome.

Explore the difference this made and more at https://bit.ly/3y900DN

Blue Apple's Wind in the Willows Blue Apple presents The Wind in the Willows Blue Apple Theatre has a deserved reputation for tinkering with classic tales whilst holding tight to what lies at the very heart of any story – their take on The Wind in the Willows will be no different. Blue Apple's version of the much-loved family fav...

Did you know that Stepping Stones DS is a proud member of the Co-op Local Community Fund? 🛒✨

Co-op customers can play a crucial role in supporting children and young people with Down syndrome to reach their full potential. 🌈 Every time you shop, you can make a difference!

The more members who choose Stepping Stones DS, the more funding we'll receive, enabling us to provide even more support to our incredible families. 🤝💙

Here's how you can help:
👉 Click on the link: https://membership.coop.co.uk/causes/81369
👉 Choose Stepping Stones DS as your cause
👉 Share this post and encourage others to choose Stepping Stones DS as their cause

Thank you to everyone who has chosen us so far, and to Co-op for their continued support.🙏💖

PLEASE VOTE, The draw closes at MIDNIGHT!!!

Any evening Facebookers who can spare a minute to vote for us we’d be truly grateful!

You votes could win us £5,000 and will help support children and young people with Down syndrome 🙏👍🏼

Nominate now! - Movement for Good awards We could receive £5,000 in the Movement for Good draw.

🏃 Thank you Enterprises for your £300 donation to Lloyd Martin’s London Marathon Fundraiser.

We love the ethos behind Frimhurst Enterprises’ drive to create quality supported work for adults with learning disabilities within the community, providing career opportunities for people like Lloyd and his friends.

Following his incredible Guinness World Record Achievement Lloyd visited the team at Frimhurst Enterprises to show his World record for his London marathon and his gold medal from British Gymnastics Championships. 🥇

🤸 🤸 Lloyd showed off his cartwheels and splits, before joining the team in a short run to tea break:

🗨 “Lloyd is an inspiration to us all, he is an incredible ambassador to show that anyone has the chance to achieve greatness! We strive to support our adults to reach their full potential through learning work-based skills, allowing them to be creative through dance, art and music activities, developing their independence, building up confidence and getting them involved in the local community. The team at Frimhurst produce a wonderful inclusive community where everyone is welcome. All the team members we support make us incredibly proud of everything they have achieved and continue to do so“ Adriana, Frimhurst Enterprises.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the incredible work you do and for raising vital funds to help children and young people with Down syndrome in our community🥰